The United States of America
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A Real Choice
Freedom is still a new idea.
Many voices throughout history have led the way.
Spread the message:
Real Change embraces Liberty;
the time for liberty is now. Freedom is still a new idea. Many voices throughout history have led the way. Spread the message: Real Change embraces Liberty; ... more -
Live Free Or Die
Penn Jillette tackles the tough topics of Guns and Freedom. These are his views, not mine. How free should we be?
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The Articles of Confederation - 1777
After the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, establishing the "united colonies" as Free and Independent States, the Continental Congress set to work on the task of drawing up a document that would provide a legal framework for that Union, and which would be enforceable as the law of the new land.
The Articles were written during the early part of the American Revolution by a committee of the Second Continental Congress of the now independent thirteen sovereign states. The head of the committee, John Dickinson, who had refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, nevertheless adhering to the will of the majority of the members of the Continental Congress, presented a report on the proposed articles to the Congress on July 12, 1776, eight days after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Dickinson initially proposed a strong central government, with control over the western lands, equal representation for the states, and the power to levy taxes.
Because of their experience with Great Britain, the 13 states feared a powerful central government. Consequently, they changed Dickinson's proposed articles drastically before they sent them to all the states for ratification in November 1777. The Continental Congress had been careful to give the states as much independence as possible. The Articles deliberately established a confederation of sovereign states, carefully specifying the limited functions of the federal government. Despite these precautions, several years passed before all the states ratified the articles. The delay resulted from preoccupation with the revolution and from disagreements among the states. These disagreements included quarrels over boundary lines, conflicting decisions by state courts, differing tariff laws, and trade restrictions between states.
The small states wanted equal representation with the large states in Congress, and the large states were afraid they would have to pay an excessive amount of money to support the federal government. In addition, the states disagreed over control of the western territories. The states with no frontier borders wanted the government to control the sale of these territories so that all the states profited. On the other hand, the states bordering the frontier wanted to control as much land as they could.
Eventually the states agreed to give control of all western lands to the federal government, paving the way for final ratification of the articles on March 1, 1781, just seven and a half months before the surrender of Lord Cornwallis and his British Army at Yorktown, October 19, 1781, the victory ended fighting in the War of Independence and virtually assured success to the American cause. Almost the entire war for five long years had been prosecuted by the members of the Second Continental Congress as representatives of a loose federation of states with no constitution, acting at many times only on their own individual strengths, financial resources and reputations. After the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, establishing the "united colonies" as Free and Independent States... more -
Constitution of the United State's
One Foundation
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom continues to provide new data and insights into the dimensions and impact of religious repression and intolerance in countries worldwide.
The Commissioners on this bipartisan federal body assess and propose U.S. foreign policy action to advance freedom of thought, conscience, and religion and other freedoms needed to protect people at risk of abuses, such as killing, detention, or torture.
In carrying out this work, Commissioners begin by examining conditions in countries, then review how the U.S. government is responding, and as warranted, formulate options for further action.
Commission recommendations and reports have prodded a wide array of new bills in Congress and policy measures by the Executive Branch.
Through this work, we seek to advance the visibility of and serious thinking about how the United States can best address the challenges of religious extremism, intolerance, and repression throughout the world. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom continues to provide new data and insights into the dimensions and impact of re... more -
We All Human
I am sharing the story of my young friends from Liberia who I met a year ago. They fled their country because of the violent civil war, and now their new home is Oakland, California. During this year as we have grown close, they have told me so many disturbing truths about how they are treated in their new community, which is a predominantly African American neighborhood. I always assumed that they would at least be welcomed and maybe even embraced by their black neighbors because of some shared connection. I was very wrong. But the reason I ask my friends to tell their own story is that they are angels of light and hope in the form of kids. They have somehow found their own way to rise above the abuses and make friends by being true to themselves and to their culture. My hope is that their story might spread the wisdom these young kids carry about how all people should treat each other. I am sharing the story of my young friends from Liberia who I met a year ago. They fled their country because of the violent civil wa... more
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Eminem Hates President Bush
The animated music video for Eminem's anti-Bush song "Mosh" from his album "Encore". This song was released just before the 2004 presidential election.
It's too bad we didn't listen to Eminem. The animated music video for Eminem's anti-Bush song "Mosh" from his album "Encore". This song was released ... more -
USA's Public Enemies
A kick ass video about all of the fat politicians, big businesses, and rich people who are ruining this country.
It is up to US to fight back. A kick ass video about all of the fat politicians, big businesses, and rich people who are ruining this country. ... more -
Brink of Spiritual Destruction: Losing Indigenous Heritage, Culture, Storytellers
Racism, spiritual terrorism and the loss of Indigenous culture are among numerous social issues targeted by the Turtle Island Project, founded in northern Michigan in August 2007.
Two Midwest pastors started the Turtle Island Project because the world is sitting on the brink of important cultural, economic and religious issues that will either allow humans to prosper in harmony with the Earth or become the only species to cause its own extinction.
Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns say some if not many Christians belittle the knowledge and heritage of Indigenous cultures like Native Americans, Celts and other centuries-old religions/beliefs aligned with nature and the environment.
They believe we can all learn a lot about nature and the environment by listening to Earth-based cultures.
Rev. Hubbard is a Lutheran pastor. Rev. Cairns is an ordained United Church of Christ minister.
Both have extensive backgrounds in interfaith and multi-cultural work.
The Turtle Island Project in Michigan's Upper Peninsula promotes respect for the environment and Native Americans.
Turtle Island Project volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson reports
On Sept. 25, 2007 Rev. Hubbard spoke to college students, tribal educators and others at the annual United Conference at Northern Michigan University.
Topics included diversity and issues like the abuse and sexual mutilation of girls and women in Africa and racism against Native Americans
Rev. Hubbard said some Christians are too quick to dismiss Native American teachings.
Hubbard said whites can learn a lot from NA storytellers, myths and other Earth-based teachings.
Rev. Hubbard says Native Americans know that not everything can be described in words alone.
On August 11, 2007 - Dr. Hubbard spoke to religious scholars and authors in Ann Arbor - during the kick off of the Read the Spirit project.
Hubbard warned that some Christians think their beliefs are perfect to the exclusion of all others.
On August 28, 2007, Rev. Hubbard was invited to join a national Native American radio talk show conversation on racism by whites who live in towns bordering reservations - the same issue that Nimrod Nation highlighted as Watermeet, Michigan is on the edge of a reservation.
During Native America Calling, Rev. Hubbard told host Harlan McKosato that racism in northern Michigan is insidious.
Turtle Island Project main website:
http://www.turtleislandproject.org
Turtle Island (myspace)
http://www.myspace.com/TurtleIslandProject
Turtle Island Project websites/Blogs:
http://groups.msn.com/WhisperingTurtle
http://turtleislandproject.wordpress.com
TurtleIslandProject@charter.net
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Lakota words for God, Creator, Grandfather: Tunkasila Wakantanka Gitchi Manitou
Lakota: Mitakyasi: "all my relatives"
http://www.dlncoalition.org/home.htm
Heraclitus "The essence of things"
http://www.thebigview.com/greeks/heraclitus.html
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/books/philosophy-book-her...
Bishop Rt Rev. Steven Charleston
President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School, Professor of Theology
Cambridge, Mass.
http://www.eds.edu/indexDyn.asp
http://www.wfn.org/1999/05/msg00107.html
http://www.nah.uiuc.edu/faculty/treaty/NCcharleston.htm...
http://www.anglican.ca/news/news.php?newsItem=2001-07-0...
http://www.bluecloud.org/shiningthrough.html
http://www.thewitness.org/agw/charleston042204.html
http://edoc.vox.com/library/posts/tags/steven+charlesto...
http://www.interfaithcreationfest.org/program.html#keyn...
Jamestown summit remembers Native saints, prepares for future generations:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78695_91767_ENG_HTM.htm
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/hires-image/elo_jamestow...
Photo by Carlyle Gravely
© 2007 Episcopal Life Online
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February 2008 United Nations Report on Racism and Human Rights violations and racial discrimination reported by Indigenous Peoples.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/I_P_I/message/18971
http://www.treatycouncil.org Racism, spiritual terrorism and the loss of Indigenous culture are among numerous social issues targeted by the Turtle Island Project,... more -
Next Smithsonian exhibit may be portraits of museum executives doing "perp�...
Washingtonians - and others with big egos - have a portrait fetish that is obscene especially when it involves taxpayers money.
Even half that nealry 50 grand could have been significant funding for the non-profit Native American and environment projects I volunteer for in northern Michigan.
More comment after a few sentences of the article and a look at this portrait:
Portrait Cost Indian Museum $48,500: Senators, Trustees Question Spending By Former Director
By James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writer
W. Richard West Jr., the founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, spent $48,500 in museum funds to commission a portrait of himself.
The portrait of West by New York artist Burton Silverman hangs in the patrons' lounge on the fourth floor of the flagship museum, which is dedicated to the arts and culture of American Indians.
Silverman said West picked him after he saw a portrait Silverman had done of former Smithsonian secretary Robert McCormick Adams.
The Adams portrait, completed about a decade earlier, was smaller and cost about half as much.
Rest of the Washington Post story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
Portrait:
http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2...
[IMG http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee225/YOOPERNEWSMAN/...[/IMG]
Native American on Native American crime - much like black on black crime - is especially insidious because so much good could have been done for First Nations peoples heritage with this wasted and misappropriated money.
It's also a crime against taxpayers and common decency.
Spending $48,500 on a self portrait is among the disgraceful financial crimes of W. Richard West Jr., the founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.
For this crime to occur in the hallowed halls of the Smithsonian shows again thievery knows no class boundaries - and should be treated just as severely as the poor man who sticks a gun into the face of a 7-11 clerk.
The Smithsonian needs to be thoroughly audited from top to bottom as this is at least the second huge scandal to tarnish its once respected reputation.
No doubt it's only the tip of the fiduciary iceberg that's tearing through the Smithsonian's highbrow richly-protected hull.
I do volunteer work for several Native American related non-profits whose budgets are much smaller than even the cost of that disgraceful portrait.
And the suggestion that it could not have been painted by an American Indian artist is as laughable as it is sickening with a hint of racism against one's own culture.
Even the portrait stance is borrowed and unoriginal, as a buttoned-down Mr. West gazes thoughtfully off to the east, his coat hanging on a crooked forefinger and tossed over suspenders with his soft thumb and the remaining fingers forming the "OK" sign.
The Washington ego commands that a portrait much be painted to prove one's importance.
No doubt many law offices, banking institutions and the halls of officialdom are plastered with the self-aggrandizing crafty art.
Prior to the Polaroid, a self-portrait may have been necessary to preserve one's historic legacy but in today's world it's merely a measure of one's self-importance that is more often scoffed at than admired by those it's meant to impress. Perhaps, a modern definition of irony.
Maybe the next exhibit at the Smithsonian will be portraits of former executives doing the proverbial "perp walk" - cuffed and stuffed for perp-etuity. Washingtonians - and others with big egos - have a portrait fetish that is obscene especially when it involves taxpayers money. ... more -
Criminal Inquiry into CIA tapes
The US Justice Department is launching its own criminal investigation into the interrogation tapes that allegedly provide evidence of the harsh interrogation methods used by the United States in its pursuit of terror suspects.
Hundreds of hours of footage and images recorded in 2002 may have been destroyed. Authorities believe that the tapes contained images of waterboarding, an interrogation technique that simulates drowning.
http://current.com/items/76347282_getting_waterboarded
Former CIA official Jose Rodriguez ordered the tapes to be destroyed in 2005 because they no longer had "intelligence value" and could compromise the identity of agents.
In a statement, current US Attorney General Michael Mukasey said, "The department's national security division has recommended, and I have concluded, that there is a basis for initiating a criminal investigation of this matter." US President George W Bush claims that the US does not use torture. The US Justice Department is launching its own criminal investigation into the interrogation tapes that allegedly provide evidence of ... more -
There's A War Going on Outside
Citizen Cope is an amazing artist, and he does his part to make the world a better place. Check out this remix of his song "Bullet and a Target" featuring Rhymefest. Citizen Cope is an amazing artist, and he does his part to make the world a better place. Check out this remix of his song "Bulle... more
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The United States of America
